Manchester City maintained their 100% home record in the Premier League this season with a comfortable 3-0 victory against struggling Blackburn Rovers.
Mario Balotelli made a sustained period of pressure tell for Roberto Mancini’s team, who are five points clear of Manchester United ahead of their trip to Norwich on Sunday, when he turned in Aleksandar Kolarov’s cross after 30 minutes. Sergio Agüero put the game beyond Rover’s reach when he scored in the 52nd minute and Edin Džeko headed in the third, two minutes after coming on.
Coincidence that days after Carlos Tevez returned to training with the first team that all three City goals were scored by forwards?
Frank Lampard, meanwhile, scored the 150th league goal of his career as Chelsea moved into fourth courtesy of a 3-0 defeat of Bolton Wanderers. The win will ease the pressure on Chelsea’s boss Andre Villas-Boas. The Blues are three points ahead of Arsenal, who play third-placed Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
A day after being named Wolverhampton Wanderers manager until the end of the season, Terry Connor watched his side recover from two down to get a surprisingly draw at Newcastle United. The point takes Wolves up to 16th in the table, a point above third-bottom Blackburn and Queens Park Rangers, who had Samba Diakité sent off in a 1-0 home loss to west London rivals Fulham FC. Diakite is the third Rangers player in their last four home games to be sent off before half-time!
Elsewhere, West Bromwich Albion thrashed Sunderland 4-0 at the Hawthorns, only Albion’s fourth home win of the season, while Wigan and Aston Villa ended goalless.
